


Fine

by TheMightyFlynn



Series: New Year's Countdown [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Ice Skating, M/M, Surprise Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-17 23:54:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13088103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightyFlynn/pseuds/TheMightyFlynn
Summary: Harry challenges Severus to go ice skating with him when the Black Lake freezes over.





	Fine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Severus1snape](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Severus1snape/gifts).



> Written based off the prompt: "Harry wants to find out if Snape has any human sides at all, so he dares Snape to go ice skating with him when the Black Lake freezes.. of course, a Potter can´t challenge Snape without him accepting, right?!" from Severus1snape. I hope you like what I came up with! :)

“Did one of the curses you have been struck by over the years addle your brain, Potter?”

Harry grinned as he trudged through the snow towards the Black Lake. “Nope,” he called back over his shoulder, not breaking his stride. “I was given full clearance when I was discharged from the Auror Corps.”

There was silence from behind him for a few seconds. The sounds of Hogwarts in winter surrounded him as he walked: tree branches swayed in the light breeze, an animal occasionally moved through the undergrowth beside the path he was walking along, and the snow under his boots creaked. They had just come out of a blizzard; the strongest Harry remembered ever happening on Hogwarts grounds. Once it had been possible for him to leave the castle, he had been presented with the most stunning sight he had ever seen: Hogwarts was awash with white. Sure, he had seen snow on the grounds before, but this was so much more than that; even the Black Lake had frozen over. He refocussed when he heard a grunt and a muttered oath behind him.

“Clearly, whatever tests they did on you when you exited the Auror Corps, none of them dealt with your levels of intelligence.”

Harry grinned again. “What’s the matter, Severus?” He turned to see the Headmaster scowling at him from a few steps behind. “Is this too much of a challenge for you?”

He watched as Severus’ brows drew down into a deep frown. Standing in snow that was at least ankle-deep, with snowflakes resting on the dark woollen hat he wore, Severus was much less intimidating than usual. It was a nice change.

“Oh, yes, Potter,” Severus began, sarcasm dripping from every word. “In comparison to the challenges I have faced in the past, _this_ is too much.”

The ice-skates that hovered just behind Severus dropped a little when Harry let out a small laugh. When he had seen the snow blanketing the Hogwarts grounds, Harry had been struck with the irresistible urge to challenge Severus to come ice skating on the Black Lake with him. It hadn’t taken much for Harry to convince him, just a few well-chosen remarks about how he was _sure_ that Severus was too busy, but…

“Stop grinning at me, Potter. It makes you look more manic than usual.”

Harry rolled his eyes as Severus trudged past him. “You know your grumpiness won’t affect me today, Severus, so why try?”

“I live in a state of perpetual hope when it comes to you, Potter.”

“You do?” Harry asked dubiously, knowing that he was stepping right into the trap Severus had set him.

“Yes. Hope that, one of these days, you will actually manage to cultivate one single brain cell that functions on a normal level.” Harry opened his mouth to object, but Severus continued before he could. “Of course, you having reached the spritely age of twenty-seven without showing one sign of that happening, that hope dies a little each day.”

Severus sighed as he reached the edge of the frozen lake. Still watching him from behind, Harry couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across his face. Not even when Severus turned and scowled at him again did he manage to get it under control.

“What now?”

Taking a couple of steps forward, Harry smiled up at Severus. “You have hope in me.”

He ignored the string of muttered words Severus let out as he stepped past him, spelled a spot of grass dry, and began to lace his skates up. Provoking Severus was entertaining, but Harry had grown to know just exactly how far he could push him. When he began swearing on school grounds in a place that had even the remotest chance of the students hearing him, _that_ was pushing him too far. He didn’t bother to glance behind him as he stood and glided out onto the ice.

It had been Luna who had originally taught Harry to skate. The pond at the back of Xenophilius’ property was just big enough for Luna to be able to take Harry around in slow circles, and he had learnt quickly. Luna was a patient teacher, and Harry could now race around that small pond at speeds that he knew he probably shouldn’t. He swung his arms as he picked up pace, circling around a small area of the lake.

“Reckless as ever, Potter…”

Harry grinned as he adjusted his stance to slow down. Sweeping around so he could face Severus, he expected to see him still standing on the shore. The sight that met him, however, nearly caused him to trip over his own skates. Severus was on the ice, gliding slowly towards him.

“Severus?”

“Surprised, Potter?”

Harry blinked. His mind had gone almost completely blank the second he turned around. Pulling to a stop directly in front of him, Severus offered up a sly smile.

“Shall I take your silence as a yes, then?”

Before Harry could form a response, Severus was gone. Turning so he could keep his eyes on him, Harry merely watched. Severus’ long legs drew his attention immediately. His form, while a tiny bit stiff, was almost perfect. The black clothing he wore clung to him as he moved, keeping Harry’s attention fixed to him for far longer than he knew was strictly appropriate. He glided out past the marks on the ice that Harry had made with his circles, moving steadily towards the middle of the lake. Harry swallowed as a tingle ran over his skin.

_Severus can skate._

The thought drifted slowly through his foggy mind as he watched Severus drifting across the ice. It seemed as though Severus moved effortlessly, looking like he had been skating regularly for years at that point. Harry’s heart thudded, his eyes still fixed solely on Severus’ retreating form.

“Is something the matter, Potter?” Severus’ voice drifted back to Harry across the ice. “Is this too much of a challenge for you?”

_Bastard._

Harry’s lips pressed together. He was off and moving again before his mind registered anything other than the fact that Severus had thrown his own words back at him. He moved quickly, wanting to catch up to Severus, although he had no idea what he was going to do when he got there. Severus was almost to the opposite side of the lake when he tried to turn to face Harry again. There must have been something on the ice, however, as Harry saw his right skate stop dead, causing the left to slide into it. Severus was falling before Harry could shout a warning.

Time seemed to slow down in that moment. Adrenalin kicked in, creating a sharpness to everything around him. It must have taken Harry only a few more seconds to reach Severus, but it felt like an eternity. Severus was letting off a string of language that would have made a sailor blush.

“Severus, I–”

“Not a fucking word, Potter.”

“But…” Harry’s hands hovered over Severus, who was sat on his arse on the ice, a fearsome scowl on his face. “Are you hurt?”

The thudding of his heart against his ribcage seemed to increase as Severus’ eyes narrowed. Harry licked his lips in an old nervous habit.

“I am fine.”

“But–”

“Potter…”

The word was more a growl than anything else. Something in the back of Harry’s mind told him that he should take it as the warning it clearly was, but with the almost-panic rushing through him, he ignored it.

“You fell, Severus. If I can help–”

Harry’s words were cut off when Severus’ gloved fingers caught his chin. His breath hitched in his chest when he was forced to meet Severus’ eyes.

“Harry.”

Harry blinked. “Yes?”

Time once again seemed to slow down. Harry held his breath as he stared into Severus’ eyes. His heart thudded, his skin tingled, and then his mind went completely blank. Severus moved in, keeping eye contact until the very second their lips connected in a soft kiss. It didn’t last long, but it left Harry with the most euphoric feeling he thought he had ever felt.

“I am fine.”

Leaning, Harry hummed in agreement just before continuing the kiss. “Yes, you are.”


End file.
